OF REMEMBERING AND KEEPING OUR Vows. ECCLESIASTES v. 4. 5.-When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it for He hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou THE NEED AND SUCCESS OF EARNEST PRAYER. MATTHEW Vii. 7.-Ask and it shall be given trils, for wherein is he to be accounted of? TO an attentive reader of the history of God's ancient people, few things are more observable, than their continual disposition to lean upon man rather than upon Jehovah; upon an arm of flesh, rather than upon the arm of the Almighty: not only did they multiply to themselves chariots and horses, and place their confidence in earthly means for victory in the battle; but they frequently sought alliances with B "Why their heathen neighbours, for help and deliverance from the foe, when the Lord was their covenanted helper and deliverer. The prophets are perpetually complaining of Israel on this behalf. gaddest thou about so much to change thy way thou also shalt be ashamed of ? Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them."* In the chapter from which the text is taken, there is a similar complaint, coupled with a denunciation of vengeance for such faithless revolting. "Therefore, Thou hast forsaken Thy people, the house of Judah, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there * Jer. ii. 36. Such al any end of their chariots." liances and such armaments were in di rect and rebellious opposition to the Lord's positive command: He had forbidden them to prepare any such means of defence, counselling them to trust in Him, and Him alone.* Isaiah is inspired to assure them, that a day of vengeance was appointed, when they should be delivered over into the hands of their enemies, and the Lord would be glorified by the adoption and service of another people. The day, thus announced, was the day of the Messiah, of the Lord Jesus Christ, who would appear, "in the fulness of time" for the destruction of a disobedient nation; and for the salvation of those, who would believe in Him and obey Him. "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." "And many people shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the moun* Deut. xvii. 16-20. |